Improvement in band sawing sviachines



ZSheets--Sheet1. W. H. DANE @L W. P. MCKEE.

Band sawing-Machines. No, 151,105, Patented May 19, 1874.

FIG.1. 17IG.2.

. QSheets--Sheet2-- W. H.. DANE & W. P. NICKEE` Band SawngfMachnes,

Patented MayQ FIG.4.

l P v1 Emis? hill-Il UNITED S'IA'rns" PATENT @rrrcn wILLIAM n. DoANn AND WILLIAM r. Manna, or CINCINNATI, oHIo, AssIeNons rro J. A. rAr a co., or SAME PLAGE.

IMPRVEMENT I N BAND SAWINGWiACl-HNESI Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,10@ dated May 19, 1874; application filed x March 2, 1874.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. DoANn and WILLIAM P. MCKEE, both of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Band Sawi in g-Machines, of which the following is a speciication:

This invention relates to that class of woodworking appliances commonly known as bandsaw machines, which consist essentially of a stout frame having journaled in it two wheels or pulleys, around whose peripheries the continuous saw-blade is passed.

The first part of our improvements comprises a novel arrangement of devices for automatically operating the bearing o'i' box of the upper pulley, in such a manner as to maintain a regular tension upon the blade or saw at all times. Of these devices, the principal one is a vertically-sliding block, that is con.

fined to a rectilinear path by suitable guides bolted to the main frame, said block being provided with a laterally-proj ecting lug, which is tapped to receive the adjusting-screw wherewith to elevate or depress this vertically-sliding member of the machine. Theadjusting or temper screw is furnished with an annular iiange, ledge, or collar, which is supported upon thc toe of a pivoted lever, whose rear portion carries a sliding weight or counterbalance, that is maintained in any desired position by a set-screw or its equivalent device. This lever has its bearing upon a fulcrum or pivot secured to vthe main frame, which fulcrum is located as near the temperscrew as practicable, in order that a comparatively light weight may exert the greatest possible upward pressure against the collar of said screw, and the sliding block with which the latter engages. As the bearing or box for the mandrel of the upper pulley is pivoted to the aforesaid vertically-sliding block, it will be lreadily understood that the counter-balance at the rear end ofthe short-coupledlever exerts a continual the lever not only obviates the necessity of employing links and other complicated appliances for communicating motion to the upper bearing, but it also allows the usc of a much lighter counter-balance, and on this account there is no danger of the machine being rendered top-heavy, and therefore liableto such vibrations as would cause it to oscillate and become unsteady when run at the high speeds that band-saws areusually driven at.

The second part of our invention comprises a novel method of iitting the front guide of the bandsaw to the machine, which mode of construction we will now proceed to describe. As is well known, the mandrel or vertical shaft of the front guides have heretofore been tted within a bracket or supplemental frame, which bracket must be bolted to the main frame in the most secure manner, or the saw will not run true. These brackets, no matter how accurately they are applied when the machine is built, are liable to lose their proper position very soon, and thereby throw the mandrel out of line, besides which the tting up of said separable members of the Inachines requires considerable time and labor. Hence, it is evident that it would be a great advantage it' these brackets could be cast with the main frame, as such a procedure would entirely obviate the above-described objections to the separable brackets 5 but then the casting would be so heavy as to render it a difficult matter to drill accurately the necessary bearings for the mandrel ofthe guide. Our bracket is cast in one piece with the main frame, and the enlarged portions of said bracket, which are to serve as the boxes or bearings for the shaft of the guide, have chambers formed in them which require no iinishing whatever, but are left just as the casting comes from the sand, and the upper and lower ends of these chambers have brass or other suitable caps or fastenings applied to them. These caps or bushings, before being applied to the above-described chambered enlargement of the bracket, are bored out accurately to receive the guide-mandrel, and after being inserted in said chambers, they are immovably secured in position by pouring in soft metal around their shanks or stems, as will presently appear.

The third part of our invention comprises a chute or deilector, which is applied to the frame in such a manner as to divert away from the attendant the powerful blast or cur-- rent of wind createdby vthe pulley at the top of the machine. As these pulleys are driven at a very high velocity, it is evident a powerful current of air is produced by them, and, owing to the direction in which the upper pulley necessarily rotates, this blast is discharged directly down upon the head and shoulders of the operator, to his great annoyance at all times, and in the winter season rendering it impossible for him to remain at his post with any 'degree of comfort. Ve overcome this difficulty by providing a light and simple wind-chute,7 which is secured to the frame, and extends around a sufiicient portion of the periphery of the upper pulley to insure the complete deect-ion of the `blast to the rear of the machine, as hereinafter fully described.

A combined belt-shifter and brake constix tutes the fourth novel feature of our improvements, the essential member of which is a horizontally-sliding rod that is located a slight distance above the driving-shaft or arbor of the lower saw-pulley. The end of this shaft that is most remote from the saw-pulley is furnished with two jaws, clamped together with a screw or bolt, so as to take hold of an ordinary yoke or shifter, that changes the driving-belt from the loose to the fast pulley of the machine, and vice versa. This jaw and retainingscrew enable the shifter to be adjusted circumferentially around these driving pulleys, so as to be ei'ective in whatever position the belt may be applied. When this horizontal shaft is shifted so as to throw the driving-belt oft' from the fixed pulley and onto the loose on e, a sloping shoulder or inclined plane attached to said shaft or its arm comes in contact with a pivoted shoe in such a manner as to cause one end thereof to bea-r up against the inner periphery of the fast pulley, thereby vinstantly arresting` the rotation of the lower arbor, and thus stopping the motion of the blade. This longitudinally-shiftable shaft is manipulated by a handle or lever that is lo cated under the table of the machine, in close proximity to the operator, so as to enable him to control the belt-shifting apparat-us without quitting his post.

A simple, effective, and readily applicable coupling for the table constitutes the fth part of our improvements, said coupling being ar ranged as follows: The table for supporting` the stuff to be sawed has bolted to its under sidev a plate having a segmental flange or rib projecting from it, which segment plays within a concave recess in a casting or block that is secured to the main' frame of the machine. As this segmental iiange is capable of rolling within the recess of the aforesaid block, it will be seen that the table can be pitched at any required angle, either toward or away from the operator, and after being thus adjusted it can be maintained in position by a set-screw. This recessed block, being a separate casting, is capable of being tted up in a more perfect manner, and with less labor and inconvenience, than is required to form said recess in a projectin g portion of the main frame, which is the usual mode of construction.

Having thus briey indicated the leading features of our improvements, we will now proceed to give a detailed description of the same, together with the manner of applying through the elevated part of the main frame and its bracket, the upper chamber of said bracket being shown empty, while the lower chamber thereof is represented with the nlling` poured in around the caps. Fig. 5 represents the upper wheel or pulley of the machine with its accompanying wind-chute, the latter being shown partly in elevation and partly in section. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section at the line 3 3, the position of the table being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the table and its accessories, and Fig. Sis a vertical section of the same parts at the line 4 4.

Of the above illustrations, Figs. 3, 4, and 3 i are drawn on an enlarged scale.

The main frame A, together with its front limb or bianched projection A', and also the upper bearing b and lower bearing c, being essentially the same as described in the patent issued to William H. Doane and William P. McKee, November 14, 1871, needs no further explanation in this specification. Journaled respectively in these bearings b and c are the shafts, mandrels, or arbors B C of the pulleys or wheels D E, around which the bandsaw F is passed. The pulleys D E of the saw may be of the represented or any other suitable form; but we prefer to use such a wheel as described in Letters Patent No. 127,033, is sued May 21, 1872, to W. H. Doane, .as the wheel which is the subject of the aforesaid patent combines the maximum of strength and rigidity with the minimum of weight and material. The upper portion of the main frameis slotted at a to receive a vertically-ad justable block, G, to which the upper bearing b is pivoted at g, said block being coniined to a proper path by guides a, which are bolted lLlGG v 3 to the frame A, Fig. 2f Projecting laterally from this block Gr is a stout ear or lug, H, which is tapped to receive a screw, I, wherewith said block and its accompanying; saw-mandrel bearing B b may be adjusted within the slot c of the frame. The lug H and adjusting or temper screw I are not situated in the same vertical plane as the mandrel B, but are l0- cated at one side of this shaft, preferably in front of the same, the bearing of said shaft being notched at b. This notch allows said bearing G to be adjusted the entire length of slot a without bringing the temper-screw I in contact with the shaft B, and it will be 'seen that a greater range of movement is thereby permitted than could be obtained if said screw and pulley-shaft were situated in the same vertical plane. If thus constructed, it is evident the screw would strike against the lower side of bearing b before the latter had described one-half the length of the slot a. This tempenscrew I is provided near its lower end with an annular or other suitable flange or collar, z', which serves as the bearing. of said screw, while it leaves the latter free to` be rotated either to :the right or left, as occasion may require. A hand wheeler crank, i', enables the screw to be rotated withthe great-4 est facility. The collart' does not rest upon the main frame or other fixed member of the machine, but is supported upon the short end or toe jef a lever, J, that is pivoted to the frame A at j. The pivot or fulcrum j of this:

rearwardly-projeeting lever is located as near' "the temper-screw I as practicable, only ysufficient roomvbeing allowed between these twoY members j and I to permit the latter to rotate freely. .y

This close connection or short coupling not onlyenables us to dispense entirely with links` and other appliances for communicating mo- -tion from the compensating-lever to the temper-screw, but it alsoV permits the use of a much lighter counter-balance.

It has. heretofore been customary to load the lever J with a weight varying from fifty to one hundred pounds, according to the size of the machine, which weight, being necessarily elevated some distance above the base of the frame, rendered the machine top-heavy, and was the cause of injurious vibrations, besides which such a weight was inconvenient to handle.

owin g to the lever being pivoted near` the screw, the former is mademuch shorter than usual.

By thus diminishing the length of the lever we not only economize space, but also reduce tion and transportation, and it also diminishes the cost of production. l

Krepresents the light counter-balance, which can be readily adjusted to any required position upon the supporting-lever J, and maintained there by a set-screw, 7c, although pins, wedges, keys, or other convenient appliances may be substituted for said set-screw. L rep# resents the customary bracket, which is employed for supporting the mandrel or arbor M ot' the front guide m of the band-saw F, and

` it will be seen, by referring to Figs. 3 and 4,

that said bracket or projection is cast in one piece with the main frame of the machine.

By thus casting the bracket in one piece with frame A, the utmost rigidity is secured, and consequently it is impossible for said bracket to work loose or otherwise deviate Afrom its proper position, and thereby throw the mandrel out of line. This mode of construction also obviates the necessity of fitting the bracket to the frame, which operation re` quires time and accurate workmanship to perform.

The mandrel M is applied to this bracket L in the following manner: Cast with the bracket are two enlargements or bosses, ZZ, which are, in fact, mere shells, said bosses bein g furnished, respectively, with chambers N and N', as shown more fully in Fig. 4. These chambers are not drilled or turned out in the shells, but are formed with suitable covers when the main frame is cast, and are left in the same rough and unfinished condition they are in when taken out of the sand; in fact, the rougher the interiory of said chambers the better they are adapted for the anchoring process, which will soon be explained. The tops or bottoms or both ends of these bosses may be dressed down with a le, so as to remove any projec-v or separable member of the mandrel-boxes is i furnished with a stem or shank, o, and a collar or groove, 0, to enable them to be anchored securely withinthe chambered bosses l N and 4 MSLMN Z N. To anchor these caps immovab'ly in the bracket L, they are irst applied to the chambers N N of the bosses Z l', after which the mandrel M is passed through the axial bores of said caps. Soft metal l) is now poured in through apertures p in the shells l l', and allowed to iiow in around the stems o of the caps, and completely fill up the chambers NN.

As this llin g is confined between the ledges at the tops and the bottoms of thc bosses, and also between the grooves and flanges of shanks o, it will be seen that the caps 0 are so firmly embedded in the bracket L as to render any accidental displacement of the same an impossibility. The mandrel is thus accurately locatedin its proper position without drilling the main frame, which, on account of its,

weight, would be a difficult thing to handle, and in small shops could not be accomplished on account of a deficiency of the proper tools.

Q is a set-screw for retaining the guide-mandrel at any desired position within the bushings O 0. The adjustable bearing c of the lower pulley-arbor C has cast or otherwise secured to it two upwardly-projecting lugs or short brackets, r 1", which are bored out to receive a longitudinally-shiftable bar, R, which is thus maintained in a position about parallel with but above said arbor C, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. One end of this bar or rod is furnished with two jaws, s s, and a clampingscrew, S, for attachment of an ordinary yoke or belt-shifter, T. By this arrangement the yoke T can be shifted circumferentiallyT with reference either to the fast pulley t or to the loose pulley t', beth of which are applied to the lower or driving shaft C in the usual manner. This circumferential adjustment of said yoke is necessary, in order that it may operate upon the driving-band V in whatever position the latter may be applied to the machine. Projectingfrom the lower side of rod l, or its arm X, and located between the two standards r 1", is an oblique shoulder or inclined plane, U, which is adapted at the proper moment to impinge upon a shoe or brake, W, which is pivoted at w to the bracket i". EX- tending from the rod R is an arm, X, 'which is carried up in an oblique manner toward the table Y of the machine, where it is provided with a horizontal lever or handle, which is at all times convenient to the operator. This lever, hcingsituatcd beneath the table, is never in the way either of the operator or any of the moving parts of the machine, and at the same time it allows the workman to control the saw without quitting his position. A staple or guide, y, preserves the lever a: in its proper position.

From the above description, it will be seen that the operator can at any moment stop the blade by simply shoving the lever toward the right, which act will throw the drivingband V of from the fixed pulley t onto the loose one t, and simultaneously with this shift ing of said belt the inclined plane U will be brought in contact with the shoe WV. `One end of the shoe being thus depressed, the other end will be elevated, and will bea-r against the inner periphery of the fast pulley t with suflicient friction to instantly arrest the rotation of shaft O and pulley E, and thereby stop the blade. The end of the shoe which bears against said pulley may be shod with wood or other material that can be readily replaced when worn. As this combined movement of shifting the belt and braking the driving-shaft can be performed without the operator quitting his post, it will be found a great advantage peculiar to our improved band-saw 1na chine. j

The table Y, upon which the stuff is placed, is applied to the frame of the machine in the following manner: Securely bolted to the unA der side of said table is a plate, Z, having a segmental rib, web, or flange, z, cast with it, which iange is adapted to rest in the concave recess l of a block, 2, which latter is secured to the projection A ofthe main frame by bolts 3. The concavity of recess l corresponds ex actly with the convcxity cf rib z, in order that said ribmay roll within the recess, and there by pitch the table Y at any desired angle. After being thus adjusted, said table may be scoured immovably in position by a setlscrew, et, that is tapped into the side of block 2.

By referringto the vertical section of the table-coupling, as shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. S, it will be seen that this retaining device 4, when screwed up, forces the rib z l against the opposing side or cheekof the recess l with sufficient friction to prevent the table tipping either toward the front or back of the machine.

By thus nia-king the bearing-block 2 a separate and distinct casting from the frame ofthe machine, the recess l can be excavated more accurately and conveniently than if formed in the upper end of projection A. This arrange ment of separable block also allows the table, with its rollingy bearing, to be applied to the ordinary form of band-saw machines.

The inner end of block 2 is provided with a lug, 5, for the reception of a set-screw, 6, upon whose head the table Y rests when in a horizontal position. This screw is first properly adjusted, and, whenever the rear ef table Y is depressed far enough to come in contact with the head of said screw, the operator knows that said table is then at right angles with the y blade, and he is not compelled to level up.77 This screw 6, being located beneath the table, is not liable to be accidentally shifted, and, after being once set, requires no further adjustment.

The wind-chute or blast-conveyer previously alluded to is arranged as follows: Secured to the bearingb, so as to be elevated and vdepressed therewith, is a plate, 7, which depends some distance below the periphery of the wheel 1),*where it is joined to another plate, 8, whose curvature is concentric with the shaft B. Secured to this plate 8 is a marginal ange, 9, that projects inwardly or toward the shaft B, and these three members, 7, S, and 9, are so arranged as to leave an annular passage, 10, around a portion of the periphery of the wheel D, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. In this annular passage or channel the blast created by the wheel D is conducted,`and, owing to the direction in which said wheel rotates, the cur- Y rent of air is drawn through the channel and discharged at the rear of the machine, where it will not inconvenience or injure the operator. This conductor may extend entirely or only partially around the periphery of the wheels, but for all practical purposes it will be found sufficient to inclose about one-half the periphery of said pulley. 1f arranged to pass completely around the pulley, the rear edge of the conductor should have a suitable openin g made in it to permit the escape of the blast, and it must also be provided with two slots to allow the saw to run upon said wheel. By simply slackening a screw, 11,l the conductor can be detached from the machine when its services are no longer required. 12 is the screw which regulates the inclination of upperbearing b.

W'hen set in order, ready for running, the temper-screw I is jfirst adjusted so as to impart the desired tension to the blade F; but it is evident that said blade, as soon as it becomes heated, will expand, and consequently become too slack, unless some take-up motion is arranged in the machine. The weighted lever J Keffectually takes up this slack of the saw, and at all times maintains said blade at a uniform and proper tension 5 and, as this result is acomplished in an automatic manner, the machine does not require the constant attention of the operator. As the blade expands, the weighted lever elevates the bearing of the upper pulley-arbor; but when the blade cools and contracts, then said bearing descends t'o its proper position within the slot a. By thus maintaining a perfectly-uniform tension upon the blade, it will last much longer and perform more satisfactory service than when it is al- -ternately too slack and too tight.

The compensating-lever,being operated on by a weight, exerts apositive and unvaryin g pressure upon the upper mandrel of the machine, which desirable result cannot be obtained by cushioning said bearing upon-springs, as such devices are too unreliable, being themselves subjected to continual changes, and therefore not capable of exerting a constant and reliable tension upon the blade.

The high velocity at which these machines are driven frequently causes their blades vto run several minutes after the band has been thrown off onto the loose pulley of the lower arbor, and as said arbor is the driving-shaft of the apparatus, it will be readily understood that the moment the rotation of this shaft is stopped the blade will at once cease to run. As our belt-shifter operates simultaneously with the brake, it will be seen that no time is lost in stopping the saw, which can be brought to a state of rest in a few seconds at will.

The above is a description of vour bandsaw machine in its complete form; but itis evident we may modify the details of its construction without abandoning the essential features of our improvements--as, for example, rst, the temper-screw I may be located in the rear of instead of in front of the shaft B; second, the fulcrum j of the lever J may be located nearer the rear of the machine than is shown in the drawings; third, instead of two caps for each of the shells l l N N', onlyone may be employed.; fourth, any approved form of guide m may be applied to the foot of arbor M; fifth, the shifting-rod R may be supported in bearings projecting horizontally, vertically, or otherwise from the mainframe of the machine, instead of in the lugs of r', as shown;

sixth, the blast-conductor may be applied to e the lower pulley as well as to the upper one; seventh, said conductor can be made in sections or segments, hinged or bolted together, so as to be readily attached to or removed from the machine, as occasion may require; eighth, the upper bearing b, instead of bein g pivoted to the vertically-sliding block Gr, may be coupled to the same in any suitable manner, or may be rigidly united thereto. Our lever, by its own gravity, bears directly upward 011 the regulating-screw. Our bandtightening device is essentially different from that set forthfin Patent No. 110,236, and we do not claim or use the devices covered by the said patent.

We claim as new and of our invention- 1. The sliding block G, constructed with threaded lug H, and the temper-screw I, con structed with a xed collar, fi, in combina tion with the weighted lever J, bearing directly on said fixed collar, substantially as set forth.

2. The recess or notch b in the side of bearing l), for the free passage ot temperscrewI, in the manner herein explained, and for the object stated.

3. The chambered shells or enlargements l N l' N p, cast with the supplemental frame L, and having single or double caps or bushings O o anchored in the same with soft-metal tilling I), substantially as herein described and set forth.

4. The combination of the shiftingrod It, arm X, incline U, brake W, and fast and loose pulleys t' t', all constructed and operating as described.

5. The combined belt=shifter and brake, con= sisting essentially of suitable supports r i", sliding bar It, yoke T, inclined plane U, pivA oted shoe W, arm X, and operating-handle 6, mimos the latter being located beneath the table Y, 8. The conductor 7 `S 9 l0, constrnoted and in close proximity to tho attendant, suband applied as described, to divert the ourstantially as explained. rent of air away from the operatonas eX- 6. In combination with the sliiftable rod RV plained. and its yoke T, the jaws ss and clamping de- In testimony of which invention We herevice S, Wlierewith said yoke is adjusted eirunto set our liands.- v f the dining-pulleys t t, toi W'ILLIAM .EL DOANE, l XVM. P. MCKEE.

7. The combination of the table Y, flanged l plate Z z, recessed block l 2, and set-screws 4 l Vitnesses: and 6, substantially as and for the purposes GEO. H. KNIGHT, specified. J AMES H. LAYMAN. 

